An 18-year-old Georgia teenager fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer has seen his final wish granted through an emotional baptism ceremony in the Gulf of America.
A Warrior's Final Mission
Caden Speck, who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer in 2022, had one clear mission: to receive the sacrament of baptism in the Gulf waters. The body of water was previously known as the Gulf of Mexico before being renamed under President Donald Trump.
The teenager suffers from diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumours, an extremely rare disease that attacks the central nervous system and typically affects male adolescents. According to the National Library of Medicine, fewer than 100 cases of this particular tumour have been reported since 2016, when it was first classified.
Community Rallies for Emotional Ceremony
During a trip to visit family and his girlfriend in Florida, Speck shared his wish with family friend Kristen Hancock. "He told me that his name meant warrior. I believe it. I've seen that in him," Hancock told local CBS affiliate WTSP.
Hancock took to social media to find a pastor willing to perform the baptism at short notice. Pastor Grayson Wells answered the call and conducted the ceremony using water from the Gulf at Reddington Beach on Saturday.
The baptism nearly didn't happen as Speck struggled significantly on the day. Hancock reported that the teen could barely walk on the sand and was unable to submerge himself in the water. When she offered to postpone the ceremony and take him to hospital instead, Speck refused.
Light of Christ Shines Through
Pastor Wells told WTSP that Speck's determination demonstrated remarkable strength. "That's the light of Christ shining through him for everybody to see. That's how we need to be," Wells said. "We're all called to be bold for one another no matter what our circumstances are."
Speck's girlfriend, Jasmine Hancock, described him as someone who was "always laughing" and noted how touched he was by the community support. "He said he's never had people care about him and be there for him as much as we have," she shared.
The teen's family revealed that Speck had stopped treatment on October 28 and plans to remain in Florida until Thanksgiving before returning home to Atlanta. They anticipate he may require hospice care within the coming months.
Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumours present with a wide range of abdominal and neurological symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment particularly challenging for medical professionals.
